New England SCBWI 2018: Dream. Explore. Create.

Please read the SCBWIAnti-Harassment Policy.
You will not be able to register for the Conference
until you have read this document.
If you have any concerns at the Conference,
please speak to a member of our Safety Team:Regional Advisors (RAs)
Marilyn Salerno, Margo Lemieux, Stacy Mozer, Denise Ortakales,
and Kathy Quimby Johnson.

Meal options will be posted at registration. Please note that the hotel cannot fulfill special requests for food accommodations during conference meals. If you have severe food allergies, we recommend that you make appropriate arrangements for your own food. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

NOTE: All NESCBWI conference activities are geared for adult writers and/or illustrators, 18 years of age or older.
Click here for a complete conference schedule.
Click here for all workshop descriptions.

Nervous before your one-on-one with an agent, editor, or art director? Don't know what to ask in your face-to-face with an editor or other professional? Join us to talk through how you want to present yourself and what you want to ask in those extra moments. Remember, you're interviewing the professional just as much as they are interviewing you. Feeling overwhelmed after your one-on-one? Come in to see a friendly face and decompress.

#AskAMentor gives participants the chance to chat casually with conference faculty in a "speed dating" environment. Attendees will rotate tables at timed intervals, getting the opportunity to talk in a small group with agents, editors and authors (no pitching, please!) about anything and everything publishing-related.

New conference attendees are strongly encouraged to come to conference orientation; seasoned conference veterans are welcome as well.

Is this your first NESCBWI conference? Worried about who to talk to and how to network? Come meet the conference directors and find out how to get the most out of your conference weekend. Seasoned conference-goers are welcome to share their advice and experiences.

4:30 pm - 5:20 pm
Fireside Chat with Patricia MacLachlan, moderated by Heidi Stemple, and followed by a special book signing with Patricia until 6:00 pm

Join Heidi Stemple as she chats with Patricia MacLachlan, the celebrated author of many timeless bestselling books for young readers, including Sarah, Plain and Tall (winner of the Newbery Medal) and Arthur, for the Very First Time (winner of the Golden Kite Award). Though she didn't begin writing books until the age of thirty-five, Patricia is now one of the most beloved authors of both picture books and novels. She is often praised for the simplicity and sensitivity she brings to her stories and for her deft handling of unconventional subject matter.

Note: Patricia MacLachlan will only be available to sign books at this time. She will not be at the Saturday Night Faculty Book Signing.

While we encourage everyone to mingle with industry professionals at the Meet and Greet later in the evening, this is a time for attendees to view the portfolios without a big crowd.

Featured Evening Activities

7:15 pm - 7:35 pm Opening Ceremonies(Ballroom)

Join legendary author Jane Yolen, who founded the New England region of SCBWI, and our region's current leaders in a celebration of our past accomplishments, our current efforts, and our future successes.

Alternating between an illustration and an opening paragraph, one sample at a time will be shown on a screen and the panelists will give their response to the image or text, keeping their responses short and to the point in order to get through as many as possible in the time allotted.

If you are interested in participating, please only submit ONE (1) of the following:
the first paragraph (FIVE sentences maximum) of your manuscript in .docx or .doc format OR
one (1) illustration in .jpeg format (resolution 150 dpi, image size 1-2 mb)
to submit.nescbwi18@gmail.com.
Name your file [LASTNAME_FirstLook].
Panel submissions must be received by March 16, 2018 to be considered.
Panelists will go through as many submissions as time allows.

We encourage everyone to stop by and meet our critique faculty at the Portfolio Showcase Meet and Greet before heading over to other evening activities.

Join our critique faculty at the bar for a healthy dose of schmooze. It's all about the networking, so come prepared to chat with other writers and illustrators. Don't forget to practice your pitch, someone just might ask you what your book is about!

The Portfolio Showcase is a fantastic opportunity for the illustrators who attend the Conference to have a showcase of their work for members of the publishing community.

Additional Friday Evening Activities

8:00 pm - 10:15 pm Quiet Room (Stonehaven)

A place to meet in a quiet atmosphere designed for those who desire a quieter place to network.

9:00 pm - 10:15 pm Open Mic with Matt Forrest Esenwine(Highland)

Come show off your stuff! Share what you’ve been working on: children’s poetry, picture book manuscript, maybe a song or a few sample pages of a book…all genres of children’s lit (from PBs to YA) are welcome. Did you know that some material shared in the past has eventually been published?? So let’s hear it!

9:00 pm - 10:15 pm Meet Ups (Ballroom South)

Interested in starting or joining an online or a local critique group? Or maybe you just want to meet someone for coffee sometimes? Mix and mingle to meet your New England SCBWI RA (Regional Advisor) and find writers and illustrators from your region. Look for others who work in similar genres, who create diverse content, or are interested in marketing to compare notes, brainstorm, and talk about your favorite books.

Nervous before your one-on-one with an agent, editor, or art director? Don't know what to ask in your face-to-face with an editor or other professional? Join us to talk through how you want to present yourself and what you want to ask in those extra moments. Remember, you're interviewing the professional just as much as they are interviewing you. Feeling overwhelmed after your one-on-one? Come in to see a friendly face and decompress.

Come prepared to share your work-in-progress with peers and to get and give feedback. Bring 5 copies of your picture book, the first chapter of your manuscript, or a portfolio to share in a quieter way than the Open Mic. Walk away with some concrete suggestions for improvements and help others in return.

8:00 pm - 10:00 pm Quiet Room(Stonehaven)

A place to meet in a quiet atmosphere designed for those who desire a quieter place to network.8:30 pm - 10:00 pm Dueling Illustrators moderated by J. L. Bell(Ballroom)

Six volunteer illustrators will take the stage and challenge each other in a two-minute illustration session. Two illustrators will come up to an easel and listen to four lines of a story/poem. They will have two minutes to illustrate what they heard. Each group of two will have three rounds. The audience can call out support and encouragement during the two minutes and cheer for their favorite illustration. Paper and markers will be provided. Every challenger will win a participation prize.

Come show off your stuff! Share what you’ve been working on: children’s poetry, picture book manuscript, maybe a song or a few sample pages of a book…all genres of children’s lit (from PBs to YA) are welcome. Did you know that some material shared in the past has eventually been published?? So let’s hear it! We’ll again be adding a special feature during Open Mic, called “Whose Rhyme is it, Anyway?”- an improvisational flash-poetry game! Two writers (or teams) will be given random words and subjects and will need to create a children’s poem within the allotted time. With audience participation, this challenge should be fun for all…we hope you’ll join us, whether you write or not!

Payment Instructions

Payment by AMEX, Discover, MC, VISA, Diners Club, or check.

If you have chosen to pay by check, please send your payment, along with your confirmation number or a copy of your registration invoice, to:SCBWI New England
c/o Marilyn Salerno
30 Midfield Drive
Rockland, MA 02370

REFUND POLICY:
Conference cancellations up until March 16, 2018 will be refunded in full. After March 16, 2018, refunds will only be given when proof is given to support military service or a death in the family.

Remember to return your badge holder and lanyard before departing the conference!

Please read the SCBWIAnti-Harassment Policy.You will NOT be able to register for the Conference until you have done so.
If you have any concerns at the Conference,
please speak to a member of our Safety Team:
Regional Advisors (RAs)
Marilyn Salerno, Margo Lemieux, Stacy Mozer, Denise Ortakales,
and Kathy Quimby Johnson

Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place(413) 781-1010
One Monarch Place
Springfield, Massachusetts 01144
Rooms at $126.00 USD per night.
Click here to reserve a room in the NESCBWI block.
This special price is good only until March 20, 2018, so please book your room early.

We also have reserved a block of rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn, located on the grounds of Springfield's Basketball Hall of Fame. There is no shuttle service between the Hilton and the Sheraton; however, you may still park for free at the Sheraton even if you are staying at the Hilton.
Hilton Garden Inn Springfield
(413) 886-8000
Hall of Fame Avenue
Springfield, Massachusetts 01105
Rooms at $149.00 USD per night.
Please call to make a reservation or click here to reserve a room in the SCBWI block.

Note:
In the past, attendees have stayed at the Marriott hotel across the street from the Sheraton. We will not know if this hotel will be available until just before the conference; the Marriott is being sold and renamed.

Blogging & Recording Policy

By registering for this conference, you acknowledge that audio taping, video taping and/or transmitting or aiding in any of the foregoing of any part of the conference (including, but not limited to, presentations, individual sessions and networking events) is prohibited. Additionally, the material in all handouts and presentations is copyrighted and may not be reprinted, blogged, written, orally transmitted, and/or reproduced without written permission of the copyright holder only. If you are found in violation of the above, SCBWI reserves the right to remove you from the conference and bar you from attending future conferences.

While we think it's great when bloggers share thoughts about their overall experience, offer a personal anecdote, and/or briefly talk about something that resonated with them, it is equally important that bloggers not give away that which is not theirs to give. The fair use policy issued by SCBWI above refers to speakers' rights, authors' rights, and illustrators' rights, under any circumstances, and it pertains to the content of our speakers' talks, workshops, and/or handouts. This falls into the category of protecting intellectual property. Again, personal impressions, a quote that is cited, and/or a general overview would be considerate. However, it would be a breach of copyright law to give away a detailed report of a presenter's material. Thank you in advance for taking this policy into account. Your professionalism is greatly appreciated.

Make this the best conference ever! Smile and say hello to people you don't know, they might be agents, editors, art directors, or future critique partners. Try attending a workshop you wouldn't necessarily think of going to - you might be pleasantly surprised!